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UK: Appeal for information after man verbally abuses Muslim woman

The man approached the woman and verbally assaulted her in a Tesco car park

28/5/2017- Police are appealing for information after a mother was verbally abused in a supermarket car park. The 40-year-old woman was waiting for a parking space in the mother and baby bays at a Tesco in Trowbridge on Wednesday when the incident happened. A man approached her vehicle and verbally assaulted the woman in an aggressive way. Posting anonymously on Spotted Trowbridge, the woman wrote: “I was waiting for his parking space and was minding my own business. “I heard shouting and slamming of doors and thought nothing of it. “It wasn't until I had my full attention on him I was shocked he had been talking to me as I caught the tail end when he said "you're all disgusting". “He obviously saw a Muslim lady with a headscarf sat there and thought he could intimidate me.” She added: “The irony is that just before this incident I was watching and partaking in a two minute silence at 11 as I watched crying as it aired live on the BBC.”

Police confirmed they were treating the incident as a hate crime, while Trowbridge Mosque invited the community to visit the mosque to learn more about Islam. Community Coordinator Alex Trombetta said: “The man was verbally abusive to the woman and his manner left her feeling frightened and distressed. We are treating this as an incident of hate crime. “This incident happened in the middle of the afternoon – there would have been a lot of people around the area at the time and we’d like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this incident take place.” “There is never an excuse for hate crime in any shape or form and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. “We would encourage anyone who feels they are a victim of hate crime to feel confident in the belief that we will always take reports of this nature seriously and ensure you receive the support you need. “If you are a witness or a victim of hate crime or feel vulnerable, please contact someone to report it. More people are reporting hate crime than ever before, but it is still significantly under-reported.